In the original dustsheet. Black cloth binding with silver title on the spine.

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The third volume in the acclaimed Emperor series, in which Conn Iggulden brilliantly interweaves history and adventure to recreate the astonishing life of Julius Caesar – an epic tale of ambition and rivalry, bravery and betrayal, from an outstanding new voice in historical fiction.

THE GATES OF ROME, THE DEATH OF KINGS and now THE FIELD OF SWORDS tell the powerful, dramatic story of the friendship and enmity between the two men who ruled the Roman world. Following the defeat of the Spartacus rebellion, Julius Caesar and Marcus Brutus, who have been sent to run the Roman colonies in Spain, return to challenge powerful senators to become one of the Consuls of Rome. Political opposition, family quarrels, armed rebellions and corruption make this a highly contemporary scene, fuelled by the intrigue of the major characters, who are now developing as full adults. As he takes the legions north into mighty battles with the Gallic tribes, the imperious stand of Caesar and the leadership of his men, his new friendships with fellow leaders and his overwhelming ambition, begin to separate him from Brutus, the great swordsman and warrior. Their long friendship reveals ominous cracks under the strain. Although the Gallic conquests lead to Caesar’s triumphal entry into Britain, the victories on the battlefield cause political rivalries at home, and ultimately the famous choice is presented to Caesar and Marcus Brutus. They must choose whether to cross the Rubicon – together or singly – and to take the fight to Rome itself.

Conn Iggulden is a brilliant storyteller. Characters jostle for space in the crowded streets, on the battlefields and in the corridors of the Senate. The friendship and rivalry between Caesar and Brutus provides compelling reading. Each book in the EMPEROR series causes readers to return to the previous novel, and ensures they also look forward hugely to the next.

Reviews:

• Emperor – Field of Swords takes Colin Iggulden’s sequence of novels about the rise of Julius Caesar to a point where Caesar is forced to bid for mastery of the Roman world. Iggulden is intelligent and precise about the internal dynamics of the triumvirate of Caesar, the elderly rich Crassus and the proud Pompey. This alliance was never more than pragmatic and there was always going to be a settling of accounts–thus far so good, but Iggulden’s idealizing of Caesar leads him at times into ignoring the sheer complexity of the affairs of the late Republic. This is a version of Rome which downplays the alliance of street and snob, and treats Caesar as if he were always an apostle of order–it is a historical novel which plays worrying games with historical fact. Iggulden is fascinating on Caesar as governor and general–in the areas, that is, where we have the words of the man himself, rather than the spin put on his actions by his enemies. There is a real sense here of the practicalities of ancient warfare, of hard footslogging in difficult terrain and planning supplies for the long haul of sieges and forced marches – Iggulden may oversimplify politics, but he is intelligent about battle. –Roz Kaveney

• ‘Iggulden is in a class of his own when it comes to epic, historical fiction’ Daily Mirror

• ‘Iggulden…tells an absolutely cracking story…the pace is nail-biting and the set dressing magnificent’ The Times

• ‘Iggulden weaves an entertaining tale of this world of men, swords, bows and the call of war and the plains’ Daily Express

• ‘I felt as if a blockbuster movie was unfolding before me…read the book before Hollywood takes it over’ Daily Express

A Book Description

Caesar and Iggulden Ruling the world of epic adventure: Julius Caesar must walk a dangerous path if he is to survive the dying days of the Republic. Everything and everyone he loves will be tested in fire.
The Field of Swords begins as Caesar completes his inner circle, the men who will be his generals. When the opportunity comes to stand as Consul, he returns to a city where plots and conspiracies threaten the stability of everything he values. Together, Pompey, Crassus and Caesar form the uneasy alliance that is the first Triumvirate. For Julius Caesar, it is the chance to forge a new path that will take him to Gaul and off the edge of the map to Britain. These are the last days of the old order, shaped and torn by a man without equal in human history. This is his summer.
This is a truly epic story, part of the acclaimed Emperor series, where history and adventure, courage and ambition , friendship and rivalry combine together to stunning effect . Conn Iggulden is an outstanding new writer on the historical fiction scene.

The Author: Born in London, Conn Iggulden read English at London University and worked as a teacher for seven years before becoming a full-time writer. He lives in Hertfordshire with his wife and their children.

Connor Iggulden (born 24 February 1971) is a British author who writes historical fiction, most notably the Emperor series and Conqueror series. He also co-authored The Dangerous Book for Boys along with his brother Hal Iggulden. In 2007, Iggulden became the first person to top the UK fiction and non-fiction charts at the same time.